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When it comes to having the most memorable and greatest summer of your life, without spending a ton, there is no beating MSA’s adventure summer camps around California.

Locations such as Catalina Island, Newport Beach and San Pedro make this one-of-a-kind program available to all southern California residents! Enjoy one or two weeks attending our shipboard summer camp program, where we tour the various coves and beaches of Santa Catalina Island!

No other program in California offers so much for so little. Campers enjoy the opportunity to snorkel on some of the most beautiful dive locations in California, surf the breaks on the back side of the island, go on extended kayaking excursions, camp out over night in remote coves, hike the most beautiful trails in the interior and enjoy frequently seeing bison, fox, deer, eagles and a wide array of marine mammals, rare sea birds and an endless plethora of marine life.

Affordable summer camps

Mountain and Sea Adventures (MSA) is committed to providing the highest quality, yet affordable summer camps in the southern California area. The program is focused on hands-on field science, where your child develops an incredibly deep appreciation for the marine environment.

Immersing students in the methods of conducting in-field natural science gives them the rare opportunity to both enjoy the activities more and gain a very real and personal understanding for the Ocean.

Campers have the opportunity to visit salt water aquariums, snorkel in marine protected areas where we frequently see bat rays, leopard sharks (harmless unless you’re a crab!), extremely large kelp bass, sea lions and dolphins, and lots and lots of other fish, invertebrates and sea creatures.

One of the things that makes this program one of the most affordable summer camps, is that the activities are all in and on the ocean. After providing all the gear for enjoying the water, there is not very much more over head that prevents us from having the time of our lives together playing in the ocean!

We leave the ship on a skiff (a small motor boat) with our wet suits on, lunches stored in dry bags and snorkel gear in hand. The students jump off the side of the boat with all their gear on and follow the instructors and lifeguards as they explore the majestic world beneath the ocean’s surface.

Summer Over Night Camps in California

Catalina Island is one of California’s more valuable resources, the Catalina Island Conservation has made great efforts to restore and preserve the natural beauty and ecology of the island. This makes it a very special location to come for your summer over night camp. In California it is rare to be as isolated and remote as Catalina Island, even though it is merely 19.6 miles across the channel from Long Beach!

Some nights we will be staying aboard the 112’ foot long ship, which is a Coast Guard certified marine research vessel that sleeps over fifty people. We are fully equipped with all the toys, gear and equipment to enjoy both an unforgettable educational experience and the best week of your life!

Marine Biology Day Camps for Kids in California

MSA has two day camps for kids in California, one is located at the Back Bay in Newport Beach, and the other is at Cabrillo Beach in San Pedro, California. Both these programs focus on learning marine environmental science through hands on activities both in, on and around the ocean.

Campers learn how to keep a field journal, and learn to think like scientists conducting actual in-field research. This structures the opportunity for them to develop a personal understanding for the marine environment, while enriching their experiences and allowing them to have even more fun during the activities such as snorkeling, kayaking, and exploring the various ecosystems around them.

MSA has been teaching outdoor education since 1997, is committed to building character in youth, teaching environmental stewardship and also has a perfect safety record even after over 18 years.

Both the day camps for kids and the summer overnight camps that MSA offers are not only the most adventurous and exciting camps happening in California – they are also very affordable.

MSA’s Incredibly Unique Summer Science Program

Overnight summer science camp on Catalina Island provides the unique opportunity to completely immerse your self in the amazing world of natural science. Every activity of MSA’s program is designed to impart a personal experience, appreciation and love for the ocean environment. Campers spend 6 days aboard a 112’ marine research vessel, discovering and exploring the various ecologically rich coves of Santa Catalina Island. This is only a part of what makes MSA the most unique summer science camp in California.

The ship is rigged with trawling cranes and nets, sampling equipment, wetsuits, kayaks and all the other tools and gear needed to dive in with both hands and feet, discovering how much fun science truly is.

By learning the scientific method, and how to keep a field journal, MSA’s campers quickly discover how to think like a marine biologist, as they conduct actual in-field science experiments to come up with various hypotheses and develop a theory. By the time their week is over, they are looking at the world around them with the eyes of wonder that is at the heart of good science.

Science Camps for Kids

Our program is divided in to multiple levels, kids and teens, allowing each group to interact with their peers, while taking the topics they are exploring to deeper and deeper levels together. This way, kids aren’t left behind in the more advanced topics, and teens are held back in the more elementary material.

The summer science camp for kids allows the younger participants to spend more time playing and learning the concepts they are being exposed to through games and structured activities. They also get a chance to strap on their mask and snorkel, and see the beauty that waits for them beneath the surface with their own eyes.

Science Camps for High School Students

For those seeking a more in depth look and scientific exploration of the ocean environment, MSA also has a program designed to create a highly educational, yet incredibly fun science camps for high school students. With such activities as cliff diving, jumping from the upper deck of the ship, surfing, backpacking the interior of the island, and camping out at a remote campground on the backside of the island, teens have so much fun they quickly forget that they are engaged in a rich educational experience the whole time!

Most science camps for high school students just don’t have as much to offer as MSA’s shipboard program on Catalina Island. Learn more here!

Mountain and Sea Adventure’s summer camp on Catalina Island provides youth with the unique opportunity to try new things, push themselves to the boundaries of their comfort zones, break their fears, develop social skills and play in the great outdoors in the sun and water. Apart from giving them the best summer break ever, the experiences your child will have at shipboard camp on Catalina will improve their social skills, self-confidence and overall belief in themselves.

New experiences

Coming to camp on Catalina Island gives youth endless opportunities to experience a wide array of activities. From snorkeling to cliff jumping, squid dissection, handling invertebrates and other sea animals, and living away from home on a marine research vessel off the coast of Catalina Island – the camp experience gives each child the chance to go to the limit of their comfort zones, and discover the excitement which lies beyond.

Breaking fears and inhibitions

Every child has something to gain from the adventurous camp experiences at MSA’s shipboard summer camp program. Our theme at camp is ‘break your fears’, and we are passionate about structuring healthy opportunities for each camper to face their fears and develop the courage to go beyond what they previously thought was possible for themselves.

Meeting friends

With a jam-packed schedule of games, sports, skill sessions and activities both in and on the water – the campers quickly learn teamwork and form tight bonds and friendships, which often last a lifetime. From the very first icebreaker activities upon arrival, the campers learn to interact and enjoy sharing time together without a smart phone or computer screen between each other.

Enjoying the great outdoors together and playing in the sun and water allows each camper the chance to drop their walls and just be kids playing together. Without all their usual distractions from home, each camper is the only entertainment they all have. This allows the children the opportunity to display their personality, sense of humor, and other character traits. Each child enriches the camp experience for all the others.

Teamwork and high morale

The challenges children face at camp structure the opportunity for them to learn teamwork, and to discover that they can achieve more when they work together. When all the campers are cheering each other on to rise above their fears and challenges, it boosts the overall morale and attitude of each participant.

To hear their peers cheering them on gives each child an incredible amount of encouragement to rise above their inhibitions and achieve things they might have never thought they could before. This helps to improve their overall self-image and belief in what they are capable of, even discovering strengths and talents they never knew they had before.

Your camp counselor

The MSA staff is passionate about uplifting the spirits of youth and speaking inner strength and encouragement into their lives. The first step is to face their fears, just this is a huge victory – for then their fears and inhibitions are not ruling them any longer. The camp counselors are all first aid and lifeguard certified, and are always there to assure the campers that they are safe to explore, broaden their horizons and try new things. Your child is guaranteed to come home from their week of summer camp with a strong sense of self, confidence in their traits and talents, and higher self-esteem.

Mountain and Sea Adventures summer camp program on Santa Catalina Island enriches the lives of youth by giving them valuable positive memories, teaching them life skills, imparting strong character traits and improving their self image and overall confidence levels.

One of the best parts of coming to science camp with Mountain and Sea Adventures (MSA) is the bonding that happens between teachers and students, bringing the entire class closer together. This provides the perfect opportunity for classes to break the ice and get comfortable with each other at the beginning of a new school year, or to celebrate their year together before summer break.

Teamwork and high morale

The challenges students face at camp structure the opportunity for them to learn teamwork, and to discover that they can achieve more when they work together. When all the children are cheering each other on to rise above their fears and challenges, it boosts the overall morale and attitude of each student.

To hear their classmates cheering them on gives each child an incredible amount of encouragement to rise above their inhibitions and achieve things they thought they could not before. This helps to improve their self-image and belief in what they are capable of, even discovering strengths and talents they might not of known they had before.

Forming bonds that last a life time

The camp atmosphere is a very magical and special place, it is a safe place for every child to just be a kid and try out new things. This is often a time of tremendous growth and the friendships made during this stage leave a deep impact on the lives of all whom attend. Students often times make friends with people they might not have gotten along with before, and learn to see beyond what ever petty differences might have been coming between them back in their schools and communities.

Close friendships become even more special at camp, and students learn just how valuable each other are in their lives. These bonds last long after the students depart camp, and even far after they graduate from class.

With over 54 miles of coastline, 8 miles wide and the highest peak being over 2,000 feet high, the untouched beauty of Santa Catalina Island is comparable to nowhere else on earth. This hidden gem only 20 miles off the coast of Los Angeles has unbelievable natural diversity, being home to a wide variety of plant and wildlife (both marine and terrestrial).

When campers come visit Catalina Island for their science camp experience they have the opportunity to see both bald and golden eagles, red tailed hawks, owls, ravens and an endless variety or marine birds such as cormorant, brown pelican, oyster catchers, arctic turns and many others.

Marine Mammal Sightings On The Boat Ride

Before even arriving at camp students have the opportunity to see several species of marine mammals such as sea lions, dolphins and quite often blue and grey whales. For many campers the boat ride to camp is the best part. This is the first time many children have ever been out on the ocean miles off of shore. It feels as if they are ont heir way to a whole new continent! However, at this point the adventure has only begun. Arriving at camp provides another chance to experience many amazing forms of life, from bison to leopard sharks and everything in between.

Endemic Species Native Only To Catalina Island

Catalina Island is also home to over sixty-one species of endemic plants and animals; meaning these species cannot be found anywhere else in the entire world! Only on Catalina Island can students have the opportunity to see Catalina Island fox, Catalina California quail, Catalina Island shrew, Catalina California ground squirrel, and many others.

The incredible diversity of the island does not stop there. A whole new world can be experienced as the campers put on their wetsuits and strap on the mask and snorkel to peer into the world beneath the surface of the water. Campers frequently see bat rays, Garibaldi, sheepshead, kelp bass, lobster, sea cucumbers and many other forms of sea life.

Coming to camp is truly a magical experience and ignites a passion for the world of natural science in the hearts of all whom attend, from students to teachers and chaperones. You are bound to remember your camp experience for years and years to come.

Catalina Island summer camp is a magical experience full of adventure and excitement. The opportunities that the MSA shipboard program offers are unlike any other in the southwest. Campers get the chance to live aboard a 112-foot marine research vessel, The Wilderness Explorer, and conduct actual marine biology field science while exploring the various coves of Santa Catalina Island.

Recreational activities include everything from snorkeling, kayaking, and hiking to games, lounging on the beaches of beautiful remote coves, and star gazing in the beautiful night sky far away from the city lights of Los Angeles.

The accommodations aboard the ship are very comfortable, making for a nice personal space during the night. Each stateroom has it’s own private bathroom, offering more privacy than most vessels this size. The general use areas are spacious and very accommodating. With plenty of deck space, and a multi purpose area that quickly becomes our dining hall during meals. We will be enjoying professionally catered food during our incredible week at sea.

Imparting Virtuous Character Traits

From the moment each student arrives at camp they are encouraged to ‘dream big’, ‘persevere’ and ‘break your fears’. The MSA camp staff is passionate about working with empowering youth and making world changers every week with each child that comes out. More often than not, campers return from their week aboard The Wilderness Explorer with expanded horizons, reinvigorated dreams and goals for their future, and a deep sense of self worth and confidence.

When asked what they were most looking forward to about Catalina Island summer camp 2015, long time staff member Miranda Prado told us “I am looking forward to another beautiful season with MSA. I love being apart of the MSA team because I know we make a difference in the lives of many, and I am so honored to be apart of this movement of world changers”. This is the sort of passion that the MSA program sparks in the hearts of all whom attend.

The participants quickly recognize that they are somewhere that they are safe and free, able to experiment and develop new traits and skills. They can push themselves to overcome certain fears, inhibitions and limitations, continually hitting new levels of competence and high self-esteem.

A Safe Place For A Kid To Be A Kid!

The camp environment is a safe place to allow the natural strengths and talents of each child to grow. Although only one hour across the channel, Catalina Island feels so isolated and remote, like a whole new world. This element of mystery allows the students minds to be free to imagine and visualize, perceiving a whole new paradigm of possibilities for their future.

As each child becomes more competent in their skills, and confident in themselves, they quickly see their social lives improve. They are able to meet new friends, make a best friend, cheer for each other during activities, and build a bond that can, and often does, last for years.

Coming to camp enriches the lives of each child that participates. The challenges in each event require encouragement from the whole camp, which must work as a team to complete the activity. The overall self image and morale of every camper is uplifted.

There is no better opportunity to enjoy your summer holiday and experience all that Catalina Island has to offer than with MSA’s shipboard summer camp. From cliff-jumping, snorkeling at world famous dive spots, kayaking, paddleboarding, surfing, hands-on marine science research and so much more – a week aboard the Wilderness Explorer will impart high self-esteem, inspire your child to discover their limitless potential and give them memories that will uplift them and enrich their lives.

Cliff jumping and jumping off the top deck

One of our campers all time favorite things to do is to go up to the top deck and jump in the water, falling about 20 feet through the air and splashing into the water below. This is a real Adrenalin rush, but is completely safe. With lifeguards on the top deck next to where they are jumping, and lifeguards in the water – the kids know they are well protected. This activity gives our campers an awesome opportunity to face their fears and step out of their comfort zones.

Once the campers have gotten comfortable leaping off the top deck of the ship, they get a chance to cliff jump at Little Harbor, this is a little higher (about 30 feet) and seems more of a challenge. Again, we have multiple lifeguards at the top and bottom of the jump to be sure the kids feel safe. This is always a favorite activity for the campers, and leaves them feeling like they have broken their fears and inhibitions.

Playing in the water

The Wilderness Explorer has many different floating water toys for campers to play in the water with. We have a large floating raft that the kids can relax on and play with each other on, as well as many tubes for floating, drifting and sunbathing.

We go from cove to cove exploring sea caves, famous dive locations, beautiful sandy beaches and other island attractions allowing the campers to enjoy a wide variety of water based activities.

Kayaking and snorkeling

We can see all that the island has to offer with small zodiac skiffs, kayaks and paddleboards. Whether if the kids want to go for an intense half day kayaking safari, play on the skiff, or just paddle around on the kayaks and paddleboards – they can enjoy island life at their own leisure.

Catalina Island is home to some of the best snorkeling locations in the world. From Italian Gardens to Emerald Bay, these are highly sought after places mentioned in international travel magazines due to their wide diversity of marine life. Campers get the chance to see Garibaldi, kelp bass, sheepshead, leopard sharks, bat rays, seals and sea lions, dolphins and often times even whales.

On rare occasion even sea turtles, Rizzo’s dolphins and orca have been spotted off the coast of the island.

Meeting friends for life

When you have this much fun together, the friends you meet during Catalina Island summer camp often become friends for life. Not only are the experiences made during camp treasured memories, but the kids come together as a strong family-like unit to encourage each other to step outside of their comfort zones, dream big and break their fears. There is really nothing like such an adventurous and fun summer camp to empower your child to discover their hidden potential, build high self-esteem, and develop the courage to reach for the stars.

Hands on environmental science

Many of our attendees discover a deep personal love for the marine environment and the world of natural science after their week aboard a marine research vessel. We do plankton trawls and water sampling, allowing students to look under microscopes and see what the difference is for zooplankton and phytoplankton with their own eyes. This is an extremely valuable opportunity to discover how much fun learning really is, and often ignites a passion for science.

This makes the world of science real living breathing hands-on life, not just book based theory. This is where scientists are born! The kids who go to summer camp on Catalina Island return home with a profound new appreciation for environmental science, and often begin planning their majors and careers.

There is truly nothing like a week at ship aboard Catalina Island summer camp to impart courage, inspire your child to dream big, help them to see their own greatness and limitless potential, and encourage them to dream big and shoot for the stars!

Mountain and Sea Adventures is hosting most exciting summer camp in Los Angeles, located on Santa Catalina Island!

How would you like to spend a week aboard a marine research vessel exploring the hidden coves of Catalina Island, playing in the water, kayaking, snorkeling, surfing on the back side, relaxing on remote beaches, and so much more.

That is exactly what Mountain and Sea Adventures is offering kids and teens this summer off the coast of southern California. Departing from Long Beach, the Wilderness Explorer is a 112 foot long marine research vessel ready for endless adventures over the water! With small zodiacs and kayaks, campers can go from the ship to shore to explore the natural beauty of Santa Catalina Island.

Playing in the sun and water by day, and stargazing and story telling at night, one adventure merges into the next making for an exciting week of summer camp your child will never forget.

Catalina Island is only an hour by boat from Los Angeles. Summer camp not only gives youth endless options for playing and having fun, but the Wilderness Explorer is outfitted with trawl nets, water analysis equipment, microscopes and lots of other research gear for doing hands on marine biology activities. Such activities spark a deep personal love and appreciate for the incredible natural resource that are our oceans.

Students learn about the local species of fish, birds and marine mammals and study alternatives and solutions to help solve the various challenges threatening their habitats and the entire marine environment. This makes the MSA program one of the most unique and educational summer camp in Los Angeles.

Summer camp daily fife aboard a marine research vessel

The Wilderness Explorer is a Coast Guard Certified marine research vessel. It has three spacious staterooms on the main deck, each with their own private restroom. There are 17 cabins below deck, a large common meeting area, dining room, private meeting room, and a large viewing deck up top.

We have all the gear and equipment you could ever ask for. From wet suits, snorkels, fins, kayaks, paddleboards, floating slides, and lots more. There is enough to do onboard to keep us busy for months!

The freedom that such a vessel allows is very exciting, each day a new cove! There is no better way to see all that the majestic island of Catalina has to offer.

Summer camp daily fife aboard a marine research vessel

Catalina Island has an incredible amount of diversity. From world famous snorkeling and diving, to remote beaches for surfing and cliff jumping – no other summer camp program allows students to explore and experience so much of the island.

Catalina Island is one of the most unexplored resources in the country of Los Angeles. Summer camp participants get to visit the most popular coves of Avalon and Two Harbors, where they can shop for souvenirs and enjoy a beautiful resort beach town. They also get to see the longest natural sandy beach at White’s Landing, incredible snorkeling at Italian Gardens, exploring sea caves at Blue Caverns, surf at the backside beaches of Ben Weston and Shark Harbor, and even hike through the interior of the island seeing such wildlife as island fox, bison, bald and golden eagles, mule deer and more.

Making friends for life!

Your child will return home after their week at camp with higher self-esteem, friends they have made for life, and a deep knowledge and appreciation for the ocean environment.